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With the help of several state and federal agencies and wildlife conservation organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), wild turkeys came back from the brink of extinction to a population that is estimated at more than 5.6 million. It is a great wildlife management success story. With chapters throughout Illinois and other states, NWTF continues its strong support of wild turkey conservation and preservation of the hunting tradition. Their work is carried out through trap and transfer projects, habitat enhancement, wildlife research, educational and outreach programs and now the help of electric co-ops and other utilities. "Trapping wild birds is a practice that dates back to the 1940s," says Scott Vance, National Wildlife Biologist for NWTF. "Early restoration attempts focused on releasing wild turkeys raised in captivity. Unfortunately, these releases failed due to lack of feeding and predator-avoidance skills. In recent years, the success of restoration efforts is the result of innovative trapping methods that trap and release birds into suitable habitats." Most biologists agree optimal turkey habitats are a mixture of forested and open areas, thus making properly managed utility right of ways a biodiverse gold mine. "Many utilities use integrated land-management techniques to maintain low-growing herbaceous plants along right of ways," says Vance. "These same areas provide great turkey habitats, because low-growing, open areas are required for nesting and reproduction." The wild turkey's diet is also dependent on its habitat. Comprised of 90 percent vegetation and 10 percent insects, turkey diets are a mix of plant leaves, stems, seeds, hard and soft mass - such as acorns and berries and insects when available. Understanding these basic needs, NWTF developed numerous programs to enhance turkey and wildlife habitats. NWTF works with private landowners, as well as state and federal wildlife agencies nationwide. Spearheading yet another program, NWTF recently launched its newest conservation program - "Energy for Wildlife." "While NWTF is primarily known for its wild turkey habitat projects, a multitude of other wildlife species benefit from these habitat enhancements," says Jay Jordan, Coordinator of the Energy for Wildlife program. "This program's aim is working with utilities to develop plans for managing company right of ways in a manner most beneficial for a variety of wildlife." For utilities that manage vegetation with biodiversity in mind, NWTF makes management recommendations that offer economically sustainable practices and optimal wildlife habitats. 10 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.icl.coop
"We don't tell companies what products or equipment to use. We leave that to vegetation managers," Jordan says. "However, we do demonstrate how certain vegetation management techniques can be more beneficial for wildlife habitats and economically sustainable." "Ultimately, the goal is to remove woody brush and tree species, allowing herbaceous plants to acquire more sunlight for better growth," Vance explains. "We know the best way to produce this effect is with prescribed fire. Unfortunately, utilities cannot safely burn thousands of acres of right of way. The alternative is identifying vegetation management techniques that mimic summer fires. One of the best options is low-volume applications of selective herbicides, which create preferred habitats for songbirds, quail, grouse, deer, small mammals and especially wild turkeys."
"Energy for Wildlife is a win-win program for everyone," Jordan says. "This program benefits all aspects of the environment and everyone from the utility to the nature enthusiast." One of the first utility right of way projects was with SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative in the Shawnee National Forest of southern Illinois. Bob Keilhorn, Property and Right of Way Control Manager for the electric co-op, worked with Mike Spanel, Wildlife Biologist for the Shawnee National Forest, and NWTF to start the new program. The first phase of the project included clearing the 40-foot right of way, removing stumps, disking and then seeding with sunflowers. The second phase included disking the land again and sowing with wheat and clover. The plants attract insects, which add critical protein to the young turkey poults' diet. With 3,700 miles of right of way, Kielhorn has a "big backyard" to keep mowed and clean. Kielhorn says, "This program enhances the wildlife habitat and it does the co-op a tremendous favor because we are getting help with clearing and maintaining the right of way." Mick Cummins, Executive Vice President/General Manager of the co-op, says right of way maintenance on 3,700 miles of line is expensive, costing more than $1.5 million annually. However, Cummins says keeping the right of way clear avoids
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long expensive outages. "With this program our initial expenses are higher, but the cost goes down over time and reliability of electric service goes up." The co-op had a small ice storm last year. Storms like that remind Cummins that the money spent on right of way maintenance is worth it. He says, "You can always look at your budget — and this is one of the largest items — and say let's cut that in half. You can get by for a while, until an ice storm or a windstorm comes through. Then you are going to spend more than that getting everyone back on." Cummins says the co-op is asking for members' help too. "We would be willing to do this on any individual landowner's property where we have right of way. We would pay up to $300 for seeding and disking." By removing brush and trees, treating with herbicides, then planting grass cover, trees can be kept out of the right of way and a long-term solution is achieved. The co-op also has a trade a tree program. When members allow the co-op to completely remove a problem tree from the right of way, crews will plant a tree outside of the right of way. Spanel says the turkey population has increased substantially in the project area. "This spring we will disk again and plant native prairie grasses so we can get some nesting cover. Hopefully after that it will be more or less self-maintaining except for mowing." Spanel helped expand the idea to include two natural gas line companies' right of ways in addition to the co-op's. "The initial project cost was $6,000," says Spanel. "One-fourth was paid by the electric co-op, another fourth by Trunk Line Gas. The other $3,000 came from the National Wild Turkey Federation." Then Centennial Gas Company joined
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the project and added another $3,500 for a section of their right of way. Spanel says the only problem with the project so far is that someone destroyed the first planting in the gas line's right of way by driving 4-wheel vehicles through the area. "There are proper places for all-terrain vehicles and this is not one of them. We need people to help stop this and let us know if they see this going on," said Spanel. Spanel won this year's "Making Tracks Award" presented by the U.S. Forest Service and the NWTF. The annual award recognizes best project or employee nationally that "has contributed substantially to improving turkey habitat in a national forest." Spanel says, "I hope we can work with Mick (Cummins) and the co-op and try and expand the opportunities. The National Wild Turkey Federation really took this idea and ran with it nationwide. This was just a small demonstration plot. Look what we could do on larger areas." For landowners interested in improving the wildlife habitat on their property, Spanel recommends contacting the Illinois Department of Natural Resources regional wildlife biologist. "They can help an individual landowner manage their land for wildlife. That is really part of their mission," says Spanel. He also says other groups like Quail Unlimited and Pheasants Forever can provide support, advice and seed. Spanel recommends planting annuals that will be non-invasive and using clover, wheat, milo or soybeans for food strips. "Stay away from exotics and use native species as much as possible," he says. "I and other wildlife biologists helped create a real problem back in the 60s when we recommended planting autumn olive, an exotic shrub that everyone planted for wildlife. Now it is getting out of hand and taking over." Leland Banks, secretary treasurer for the Saline Valley Strutters, a local Illinois chapter of the NWTF, says seed companies also help. "Quail Unlimited and our chapter both get leftover seed from the seed companies." Banks is proud of the local project and hopes more companies and local landowners will get involved. "This was one of the original starting points. Mike (Spanel) is pretty good about getting things like that started and getting the ball rolling and knowing who to contact." Hunting has a positive impact on the local economy. "Turkey hunting helps the economy tremendously," says Banks, who is a pharmacist in Carrier Mills, when he isn't turkey hunting. "A lot of turkey hunters come from upstate and a few from out of state who are fortunate enough to get a nonresident permit. It is exciting. Just being out in the woods and hearing nature and seeing all of the animals is well worth it," he says.
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